The Side Line
Preston Sellers
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports
Bobcat fans, we have reached the end of yet another awesome season for GCSU athletics. Both fall and spring sports reached new heights. Some teams exceeded expectations, and all teams were highly competitive in the Peach Belt Conference.
While I admit I didn't get to see as much game action as I would have liked over the past year, I dutifully followed Bobcat athletics and will do my best to recognize the teams, coaches and players that stood out for their excellence during the 2008-2009 year. So here we go, your Colonnade athletic awards:
Coach of the Year -
Juan Pablo Favero, women's soccer - this was an especially tough one, considering Terry Sellers and Steve Barsby each took PBC coach of the year in their respective sports, and the women's basketball coach, John Carrick, had his team challenging for a PBC title when they were picked in the bottom half of the conference in preseason polls. However, I have to give the nod to JuanPa because in his first season at GCSU, he took a team searching for its identity under a new coach all the way to the NCAA tournament, GCSU's first trip to nationals since the program began in 2004. In speaking with the players, they mentioned how badly the team wanted to win for Coach Favero and how he made them believe they could achieve great things, which they certainly have.
Team of the Year - Men's tennis - Led by a trio of outstanding seniors, Coach Barsby's squad brought home their first regular-season PBC championship this spring. All-PBC selections Erick Siqueira, Justin Pickham and Francis Yoshimoto were vital to the Bobcats' title run. The highlight of the season was a 5-4 upset of then-No. 1 Armstrong Atlantic State University, the PBC tournament champions. With the three seniors leaving, it was now or never for this team, and they seized the moment.
While I admit I didn't get to see as much game action as I would have liked over the past year, I dutifully followed Bobcat athletics and will do my best to recognize the teams, coaches and players that stood out for their excellence during the 2008-2009 year. So here we go, your Colonnade athletic awards:
Coach of the Year -
Juan Pablo Favero, women's soccer - this was an especially tough one, considering Terry Sellers and Steve Barsby each took PBC coach of the year in their respective sports, and the women's basketball coach, John Carrick, had his team challenging for a PBC title when they were picked in the bottom half of the conference in preseason polls. However, I have to give the nod to JuanPa because in his first season at GCSU, he took a team searching for its identity under a new coach all the way to the NCAA tournament, GCSU's first trip to nationals since the program began in 2004. In speaking with the players, they mentioned how badly the team wanted to win for Coach Favero and how he made them believe they could achieve great things, which they certainly have.
Team of the Year - Men's tennis - Led by a trio of outstanding seniors, Coach Barsby's squad brought home their first regular-season PBC championship this spring. All-PBC selections Erick Siqueira, Justin Pickham and Francis Yoshimoto were vital to the Bobcats' title run. The highlight of the season was a 5-4 upset of then-No. 1 Armstrong Atlantic State University, the PBC tournament champions. With the three seniors leaving, it was now or never for this team, and they seized the moment.
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